City working with A-Mart building owner to ensure demolition before it collapses

TROY -- An old mill building on Pawling Avenue in danger of collapsing will soon have to be demolished, according to City Engineer Russ Reeves.

The building at 744 Pawling Ave., also known as the A-Mart building, will soon have to be taken down as it has been considered to be in severe disrepair due to fluctuating weather conditions over the past two years.

Reeves said recent thaw and freeze conditions -- along with large amounts of rain -- allowed heavy saturation to get between the bricks of the building. When the water froze, it expanded the joints, dislocated the masonry and destabilized portions of the east and south side walls. A part of the roof had also collapsed, leaving the building exposed to the elements for the last decade, according to Reeves.

Reeves said the city has been working with the owner of the building and have urged him to take it down before the spring and summer months before the building collapses onto Pawling Avenue or possibly toward the Wynants Kill Creek.

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"We want to deal with this problem as soon as we can and before we get into the spring months of the year where this can become an issue," Reeves said,

The building is currently owned by Nubar Sukjian, president of Ardex International Company, an international construction materials provider. He has owned the building since the 1970's, according to Economic Development Coordinator Monica Kurzejeski.

There is no possibility Sukjian could redevelop the building, Reeves said, as it's past the point of repair.

"I don't think it's something he could renovate because of the extent of the damage it has suffered over the years," Reeves said.

It will be Sukjian's responsibility to have the building demolished, according to Reeves. The city has kept an eye on the property over the last two years but has been working with him over the past two months to take it down once the condition of the structure quickly worsened and time had become an issue.

Before it is taken down, though, Reeves said Sukjian will have to install timber shoring to prevent the building from caving in.

Kurzejeski said she has been working with Sukjian on possibly developing something on the site after the building is demolished, whether it is commercial or residential. She added Sukjian once had plans to turn the building into a Grand Union but said the deal fell apart.

"I've been rolling a bunch of stuff by him," Kurzejeski said. "It's up to him what he plans to do.

"It's a great area for development," she added. "This is just another way of trying to partner with a private owner and trying to help them with their investments."